Intermittent cervical traction apparatus



March 31, 1953 YELLlN INTERMITTENT CERVICAL TRACTION APPARATUS Filed NOV. 15, 1950 V mwszvrogz. 1 01/15 Vail Patented Mar. 31, 1953 UNITED'STATES PATENT OFFICE 1N TERMITTENT CERVICAL TRACTION APPARATUS Louis Yellin, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application November 15, 1950, Serial No. 195,766

My invention relates to a traction apparatus used to relieve pain and suffering of a patient, and relates particularly to an apparatus which applies an intermittent traction to the vertebra of the neck for treating persons afllicted with a ruptured orherniated cervical disc.

', Heretofore, apparatus for applying a constant traction to the neck of a patient was used and its normal position. The prior methods were efiicacious, but they caused great discomfort to the patient as the straps of the head halter usually placed pressure on the jaw and face until they ached, as Well as compressing the jugular vein and causing the patient to have headaches.

2Claims. (01. 128-75) 4 my invention consists in the details of construcfully understood from the following description tion and combination of parts as will be Ymore when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a traction apparatus embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the patient support of Fig. 1.

, Fig. 3 is a side view of the patient support of Fig. 1.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawing wherein similar parts are designated by similar reference characters, 1 show a patient support, generally designated as A, which is illustrated as a chair in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, but which may be a bed or other structure, having traction apparatus, generally indicatedas B, mounted on Therefore, m'any'patients were unable to bear theconstanhpressure of the constant traction method and zthef'apparatus had to be removed from time to time which retarded the healing of the ruptured .cervical disc because as soon as the head halter or straps were removed, the cervical disc was again subjected to compression and protrusion from between the vertebra. It, therefore, is an object of my invention to provide a traction apparatus for treating per--;

sons afllicted with a ruptured or herniated cervi-' cal disc which applies an intermittent traction to the neck of the patient. t Another object of my invention is to provide a traction apparatus for treating persons afllicted with a ruptured cervical disc which can apply intermittent ftraction loads for long periods of time to the neck of the patient, without discomfort to the patient. Another object of my invention is to provide a said patient support A, a suitable electric motor, generally designated as C, to actuate the traction apparatus B, and a traction load indicating member, generally designated as D, as well as a patient, generally designated as E, whose head and neck are enclosed by a head halter, generally designated as F, which is attached to the traction apparatus B.

The patient support A may be of any design or construction such as a chair, as illustrated, a bed, or a table, so long as it supports the patient comfortably. The patient support A has atqtached to the back of it by any suitable means and substantially in line with the neck of the patient E, the traction apparatus B.

The traction apparatus B comprises a pair of telescoping interfitting pipes IIland I2, respectively, which may be longitudinally adjusted by means of a thumb or set screw I4. The pipes are loosely fitted to permit one pipe I2 to slide into the pipe ID to shorten the overall length, or vice versa. The thumb screw I4 when tightened locks the pipes I0 and I2 together.

One end I6 of the pipe Ill is attached to the patient support A by any suitable means, so that the pipe I0 lies in substantially the same plane as the neck of the patient E. The end I8 of the pipe I0 has a screw I4 passing through the wall of the pipe Ill so that the end of the screw I4 engages the pipe I2 to secure the pipes I0 and I2 together. The free end 20 of the pipe I2 (the end protruding from the pipe ID) has a pulley mounted upon it. The pulley 22 may be mounted by means of a bracket attached to the free end 20 of the pipe- I2, in any manner With the above and related objects in view well known to the art, as the manner of fastening or mounting this pulley forms no part of the invention and any manner of attaching the pulley 22 may be utilized. An arm '24 extending perpendicular, to the pipe I2 is securely attached v 3 to the free end 30 of the pipe I2 in such a manher that it will not interfere with the operation of the pulley 22. The arm 24 has mounted on its free end a pulley 26. In the illustration of Fig. 1, I show the pulleys 22 and 26 mounted on the arm 24.

A rope,.cord, or cable 30 is passed through the pipes l and I2 and over the pulleys 22 and 26. One end of the rope 30 is attached to an eccentric shaft 32 mounted on a disc 34 which is driven by a speed reduction unit 36 which is attached to the motor C. The end 30A of the rope 30 is attached to the eccentric shaft 32 in any suitable manner.

The motor 0 coupled to the speed reduction are then locked together by means of the screw I4 and the motor C is started whereby the speed reduction unit is actuated and moves the disc 34 slowly. The rope 30 attached to the eccentric shaft 32 has thus applied to it a maximum traction load at onepart of the cycle of thedisc 34 and a minimum traction load at gnoth'er'part of the cycle of the disc 34. However, it is pointed out that this change from maximum to minimum unit 36 and the disc 34 and its eccentric 32 apply intermittent or remittent traction force to the" rope 30. This pullingtraction unit is mounted on, or near, the patient support A in any suitable manner. The manner of mounting the motor or place of mounting the motor forms no part of this invention and will notbe discussed in great detail here, as any method of mounting, orplace of -mounting may be selected so long as a pulling force is exerted on the rope 30. The motor C may be of any type such as an electric motor, or it may be replaced with a meclianical or hydraulic unit. It should be apparent that any type of force which can impart an up and down motion or traction to the rope may be employed. The motor C illustrated is an electric motor which drives a speed reduction unit 36 attached thereto, which in turn drives the disc 34 imparting an up and down motion to the eccentric shaft 32 mounted on the disc 34 whereby each cycle of the eccentric applies a pull, then a recession on the rope 30.

The other end B of the rope 30 is attached to one end of a spring tension indicator D which is provided with a hook 3IA to which the end 3013 is attached in any suitable manner. The spring tension indicator D is constructed on the principle of the spring scale, but the indicator D is provided with a spring of sufficient strength so that all desirable traction loads are covered. The spring (not shown) in the scale provides for the traction force being resiliently applied to the harness F. The tension in the pounds applied to the patient can be read directly upon the tension indicator D, thus, making it possible to ascertain the traction load at a glance. It should be kept in mind that the indicator D may be placed anywhere along the rope 30, although it is illustrated at the end 30B of the rope 3D.

' The other 'end of the tension indicator D has secured to it by means of the eye 31B and hook 33, a yoke 28 to which a head halter F is attached. The yoke 28 is provided with a series of teeth 29 at each end so that the head halter straps may be secured to the yoke 28.

The head halter F is of conventional-design and passes around and under the chin and jaw, as well as around the neck of the patient E.

' The operation of my invention is as followsi A patient E is seated or lies on the patient support A, and the head halter F is placed around the head and neck of the patient E in the manner well known to the art. The head halter F is then fastened to the yoke 28. The

traction load is gradual due to the action of the eccentric shaft 32 and the resiliency of the spring indicator D.

It is further pointed out that the maximum traction load and minimum traction load are such that the vertebrate interspaces are continually kept at their greatest width to inculcate healing of the ruptured cervical disc, but not so great that the minimum traction load does not afford relief from pressure of the st'rap's of the head halter. In other words, the minimum traction load is such that it affords relief from pressure of the straps while still maintaining the interspace a sufficient width to promot'e'healingof a ruptured or herniated cervical disc. Thus; the apparatus of my invention may be used for long periods of time without discomfort to the patient.

When the pipes l0 and I2 are extended then greater traction force is appliedlikewise, shortening the pipes I and 2 causes the traction force to be reduced.

As a modification of my invention the pipes l0 and I2 may be telescopic pipes in a hydraulic system so that pressure in pipe l2 hydraulically may cause the pipe [2 to move thereby moving the rope 30. The motor under such conditions would be eliminated.

Although my invention has been described in considerable detail such description is intended as merely illustrative rather than limiting, as my invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed.

I claim as my invention: '1. In a machine for relieving a person afllicted with a ruptured herniated cervical disc comprising a harness adapted to embrace the chin and neck of said person whereby the neck may be pulled with respect to the persons body, a horizontally located member for seating a person, a post extending vertically of said member, a lateral extension connected to the upper end of said post;

- a motor beneath said horizontally located memsaid rollers whereby said motor when rotating proper traction load is then applied to they imposes a recurrent tension on said harness.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said flexible means include atorsion spring.

' LOUIS YELLIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record inthe file of this patent: a

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number V 5 Name Date 7611504 Kleinbach May 31, 1904 891,678 Downey June 23, 1908 963,890 Haas July 12, 1910 1,205,649 Miller Nov. 21, 1916 1,348,896 Riesland Aug. 10, 1920 2,315,997 Ginsberg Apr. 6,. 1943 

